Interactive Exploded View Diagram Ordering Tool

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform actions for placing an order for a sub-component of a product, the actions comprising: causing a list of a plurality of products to be displayed on a user system; receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of products from the list to be viewed in an exploded view on the user system; causing a diagram depicting sub-components of the selected product in an exploded view to be displayed on the user system, the exploded view showing an assembly drawing of the selected product in which the sub-components are spaced apart from each other in an unassembled state, such that individual characteristics of the sub-components are visible; causing a materials list to be displayed on the user system while displaying the exploded view, the materials list listing the sub-components of the selected product in the exploded view together with information concerning the listed sub-components; receiving, while the exploded view and the materials list is being displayed, a user selection from the user system of a sub-component depicted in the diagram to be ordered; causing to be displayed in the materials list an order quantity for the selected sub-component, based on the received user selection of the sub-component; determining whether the selected sub-component is available to be ordered; processing the selection of the sub-component to be ordered, in response to determining that the selected sub-component is available to be ordered; and informing the user to obtain the selected sub-component from another source, in response to determining that the selected sub-component is unavailable to be ordered.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the actions further comprise selectively causing information concerning a sub-component in the diagram to be displayed on the user system in response to a user input identifying the sub-component.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 2 , wherein the information concerning a sub-component comprises one or more pieces of information selected from the group consisting of: (a) a picture or photograph of the sub-component; (b) a key number of the sub-component; (c) an identification number of the sub-component; (d) a replacement/substitute identification number of the sub-component; (e) a description of the sub-component; (f) specifications/materials of the sub-component; (g) a manufacturer/supplier of the sub-component; (h) a manufacturer identification number of the sub-component; (i) a stock-keeping-unit (SKU) number of the sub-component; (j) the quantity of the sub-component(s) used in the product; (k) other sub-components associated with the selected sub-component as part of a kit; (l) the price of the sub-component; (m) the price of the product as a whole; (n) the availability of the sub-component; (o) available varieties of the sub-component; (p) an order icon for ordering the sub-component; and (q) a menu listing one or more pieces of information selected from the group consisting of information items (a)-(p) above, wherein the actions further comprise selectively causing a piece of information from the menu to be displayed in response to a user input selecting one of information items (a) through (o), or processing the selection of a sub-component to be ordered in response to a user input selecting information item (p).

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 2 , wherein the user input is carried out by a user activating a pointing device.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 4 , wherein activating a pointing device is selected from the group consisting of: clicking a mouse or placing a mouse on the sub-component in the diagram; clicking a mouse or placing a mouse over a key number of the sub-component in the diagram; touching the sub-component or a key number of the sub-component in the diagram on a screen of the user system; and entering an identification of the sub-component using a keyboard.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the user selection of a sub-component to be ordered is received when the user performs a step of activating a pointing device.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein activating a pointing device is selected from the group consisting of: clicking a mouse on or touching the sub-component in the diagram to be ordered; clicking a mouse on or touching a key number of the sub-component in the diagram to be ordered; clicking a mouse on or touching an order icon associated with the sub-component to be ordered; and entering the quantity of the sub-component to be ordered using a keyboard.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein a particular technique of the user selection of a sub-component to be ordered is selectable by the user.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the user selection of a sub-component to be ordered comprises the user activating a pointing device on the sub-component to be ordered in a first way, and wherein the actions further comprise selectively causing information to be displayed concerning a sub-component in the diagram in response to the user activating the pointing device on the sub-component in a second way.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the pointing device comprises a mouse, and wherein activating the mouse in the first and second ways comprise left clicking and right clicking the mouse, respectively, or right clicking and left clicking the mouse, respectively.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the pointing device comprises a mouse, and wherein activating the mouse in the first and second ways comprise single clicking and double clicking the mouse, respectively, or double clicking and single clicking the mouse, respectively.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the actions further comprise selectively causing information to be displayed concerning a sub-component in the diagram in response to a user input identifying the sub-component for the first time, wherein the user input identifying the same sub-component for the second time constitutes the user selection of the sub-component to be ordered.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the actions further comprise causing an order summary list to be displayed on the user system, the order summary list showing sub-components that have been selected to be ordered.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the information concerning the listed sub-components comprises one or more pieces of information selected from the group consisting of: (a) a key number of the sub-component; (b) an identification number of the sub-component; (c) a replacement/substitute identification number of the sub-component; (d) a description of the sub-component; (e) specifications/materials of the sub-component; (f) a manufacturer/supplier of the sub-component; (g) a manufacturer identification number of the sub-component; (h) a stock-keeping-unit (SKU) number of the sub-component; (i) the quantity of the sub-component(s) used in the product; (j) other sub-components associated with the sub-component as part of a kit; (k) the price of the sub-component; (l) the price of the product as a whole; (m) the availability of the sub-component; and (n) available varieties of the sub-component.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the actions further comprise selectively causing zooming in on and zooming out of the exploded view in response to a user input.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the actions further comprise selectively causing scrolling of the exploded view in response to a user input.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein processing the selection of a sub-component to be ordered comprises submitting the order to an order entry/fulfillment system.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein processing the selection of a sub-component to be ordered comprises automatically sending the order via a network to a supplier/manufacturer.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the actions further comprise communicating on a network, the network being selected from the group consisting of the Internet, an extranet, a local area network, a wide area network, and a wireless network.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the actions further comprise selectively causing additional information to be displayed about one of the sub-components in response to a user input via a display window that is displayed while the user input is provided at the one sub-component in the exploded view.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the information concerning the listed sub-components includes an indicator of which sub-components are separately replaceable.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the indicator of which sub-components are separately replaceable comprises an order quantity box.

23. An exploded view ordering tool server, wherein the server is configured to: cause a list of a plurality of products to be displayed on a user system; receive a user selection of one of the plurality of products from the list to be viewed in an exploded view on the user system; cause a diagram depicting sub-components of the selected product in an exploded view to be displayed on the user system, the exploded view showing an assembly drawing of the selected product in which the sub-components are spaced apart from each other in an unassembled state, such that individual characteristics of the sub-components are visible; cause a materials list to be displayed on the user system while displaying the exploded view, the materials list listing the sub-components of the selected product in the exploded view together with information concerning the listed sub-components; receive, while the exploded view and the materials list is being displayed, a user selection from the user system of a sub-component depicted in the diagram to be ordered; cause to be displayed in the materials list an order quantity for the selected sub-component, based on the received user selection of the sub-component; determine whether the selected sub-component is available to be ordered; process the selection of the sub-component to be ordered, in response to determining that the selected sub-component is available to be ordered; and inform the user to obtain the selected sub-component from another source, in response to determining that the selected sub-component is unavailable to be ordered.

24. The server of claim 23 , wherein the server is further configured to selectively cause information concerning a sub-component in the diagram to be displayed on the user system in response to a user input identifying the sub-component.

25. The server of claim 24 , wherein the information concerning a sub-component comprises one or more pieces of information selected from the group consisting of: (a) a picture or photograph of the sub-component; (b) a key number of the sub-component; (c) an identification number of the sub-component; (d) a replacement/substitute identification number of the sub-component; (e) a description of the sub-component; (f) specifications/materials of the sub-component; (g) a manufacturer/supplier of the sub-component; (h) a manufacturer identification number of the sub-component; (i) a stock-keeping-unit (SKU) number of the sub-component; (j) the quantity of the sub-component(s) used in the product; (k) other sub-components associated with the selected sub-component as part of a kit; (l) the price of the sub-component; (m) the price of the product as a whole; (n) the availability of the sub-component; (o) available varieties of the sub-component; (p) an order icon for ordering the sub-component; and (q) a menu listing one or more pieces of information selected from the group consisting of information items (a)-(p) above, wherein the server is further configured to selectively cause a piece of information from the menu to be displayed in response to a user input selecting one of information items (a) through (o), or process the selection of a sub-component to be ordered in response to a user input selecting information item (p).

26. The server of claim 24 , wherein the user input is carried out by a user activating a pointing device.

27. The server of claim 26 , wherein activating a pointing device is selected from the group consisting of: clicking a mouse or placing a mouse on the sub-component in the diagram; clicking a mouse or placing a mouse over a key number of the sub-component in the diagram; touching the sub-component or a key number of the sub-component in the diagram on a screen of the user system; and entering an identification of the sub-component using a keyboard.

28. The server of claim 23 , wherein the user selection of a sub-component to be ordered is received when the user performs a step of activating a pointing device.

29. The server of claim 28 , wherein activating a pointing device is selected from the group consisting of: clicking a mouse on or touching the sub-component in the diagram to be ordered; clicking a mouse on or touching a key number of the sub-component in the diagram to be ordered; clicking a mouse on or touching an order icon associated with the sub-component to be ordered; and entering the quantity of the sub-component to be ordered using a keyboard.

30. The server of claim 29 , wherein a particular technique of the user selection of a sub-component to be ordered is selectable by the user.

31. The server of claim 23 , wherein the user selection of a sub-component to be ordered comprises the user activating a pointing device on the sub-component to be ordered in a first way, and wherein the server is further configured to selectively cause information to be displayed concerning a sub-component in the diagram in response to the user activating the pointing device on the sub-component in a second way.

32. The server of claim 31 , wherein the pointing device comprises a mouse, and wherein activating the mouse in the first and second ways comprise left clicking and right clicking the mouse, respectively, or right clicking and left clicking the mouse, respectively.

33. The server of claim 31 , wherein the pointing device comprises a mouse, and wherein activating the mouse in the first and second ways comprise single clicking and double clicking the mouse, respectively, or double clicking and single clicking the mouse, respectively.

34. The server of claim 23 , wherein the server is further configured to selectively cause information to be displayed concerning a sub-component in the diagram in response to a user input identifying the sub-component for the first time, wherein the user input identifying the same sub-component for the second time constitutes the user selection of the sub-component to be ordered.

35. The server of claim 23 , wherein the server is further configured to cause an order summary list to be displayed on the user system, the order summary list showing sub-components that have been selected to be ordered.

36. The server of claim 23 , wherein the information concerning the listed sub-components comprises one or more pieces of information selected from the group consisting of: (a) a key number of the sub-component; (b) an identification number of the sub-component; (c) a replacement/substitute identification number of the sub-component; (d) a description of the sub-component; (e) specifications/materials of the sub-component; (f) a manufacturer/supplier of the sub-component; (g) a manufacturer identification number of the sub-component; (h) a stock-keeping-unit (SKU) number of the sub-component; (i) the quantity of the sub-component(s) used in the product; (j) other sub-components associated with the sub-component as part of a kit; (k) the price of the sub-component; (l) the price of the product as a whole; (m) the availability of the sub-component; and (n) available varieties of the sub-component.

37. The server of claim 23 , wherein the server is further configured to selectively cause zooming in on and zooming out of the exploded view in response to a user input.

38. The server of claim 23 , wherein the server is further configured to selectively cause scrolling of the exploded view in response to a user input.

39. The server of claim 23 , wherein processing the selection of a sub-component to be ordered comprises submitting the order to an order entry/fulfillment system.

40. The server of claim 23 , wherein processing the selection of a sub-component to be ordered comprises automatically sending the order via a network to a supplier/manufacturer.

41. The server of claim 23 , wherein the server is further configured to communicate on a network, the network being selected from the group consisting of the Internet, an extranet, a local area network, a wide area network, and a wireless network.

42. The server of claim 23 , wherein the server is further configured to selectively cause additional information to be displayed about one of the sub-components in response to a user input via a display window that is displayed while the user input is provided at the one sub-component in the exploded view.

43. The server of claim 23 , wherein the information concerning the listed sub-components includes an indicator of which sub-components are separately replaceable.

44. The server of claim 43 , wherein the indicator of which sub-components are separately replaceable comprises an order quantity box.